Czech Prepositions & Cases
In Czech, a preposition never stands alone — it drags the noun after it into a particular case. That's why Praha becomes do Prahy, v Praze, or z Prahy depending on the little word in front. Learn the preposition together with the case it demands and the endings stop feeling random.
Prepositions Pick a Case
Each preposition has a case it "governs." Here are the ones you'll use first:
Location vs. Direction
The single most useful distinction: are you saying where something is, or where it's going? Czech uses different prepositions for each.
Bydlím v Brně, ale zítra jedu do Prahy.
I live in Brno, but tomorrow I'm going to Prague.
Note: v Brně = location (locative); do Prahy = direction (genitive). Same city names, different endings.
The Friendly Pairings
A few preposition-plus-case combinations are worth memorising as fixed units, because they come up in the most ordinary sentences:
Dám si kávu s mlékem.
I'll have a coffee with milk.
Note: s (with) + instrumental: mléko → s mlékem.
v or na?
Both can mean "in/at." The rough rule: v for enclosed spaces you go into, na for surfaces, open places, and events.
That completes the case-system unit. Finish the path with verbal aspect — the last big idea of beginner Czech.